Call to establish Bustamante Museum in Hanover

Andria Dehaney-Grant, deputy mayor of Lucea and councillor for the Sandy Bay division in the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC), wants a museum exhibiting artefacts depicting the life of National Hero Sir Alexander Bustamante, who was born in that parish, established there.

Dehaney-Grant’s call came in the wake of a call by Lorna Bailey, director of communication at the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT), for residents of western Jamaica, especially school children, to visit the museum in honour Sir Alexander, located at 24 Tucker Avenue, Kingston, to “experience what life was like for the late national hero”.

Both women were speakers at Friday’s civic ceremony in Blenheim, Hanover, to commemorate the 139th anniversary of the birth of Sir Alexander, who was born in that district and spent his early years there.

Dehaney-Grant, a teacher, noted that while a visit to the Bustamante Museum in Kingston would be of great educational value to students, teachers, and residents of rural Jamaica, the cost and other factors related to making the trip to Kingston might not always be possible.

BENEFICIAL

“I am calling for a replica of that (Bustamante) museum to be established in Hanover because I know that it would be beneficial to the people here,” said Dehaney-Grant, “ need to know more about what Bustamante has done for us, and considering that he is from this parish, Hanover, I am thinking that it is fitting to have a museum like that in this parish.”

Dehaney-Grant thinks the same courtesy extended to 24 Tucker Avenue, in Kingston, where Sir Alexander spent most of his adult life, in terms of the museum, with exhibits depicting his life and work there, should be given to Blenheim, and by extension western Jamaica.

Bailey said she supported Dehaney-Grant’s call while acknowledging it would require significant planning.

“It is definitely something that we at the JNHT will look into and work towards,” said Bailey, “At the Bustamante Museum at 24 Tucker Avenue, we do have a replica of Blenheim. It is something that we will look into and ensure that it happens.”

“We at the JNHT are a government agency, and everything that we do in terms of budgeting we have to do it per fiscal year, and the budget for the upcoming fiscal year was already submitted, but definitely we will see how best we can get something up here (in Blenheim) to reflect what we have at Tucker Avenue,” added Bailey.

Bailey added that a project in Blenheim would add to preserving the heritage and culture of the nation.

“The time for implementation will be determined by the planning, budgeting, and funding made available,” she said.